An architectural rendering of the new aquatic facility at Harrer Park was shared with members of the Morton Grove Park District Board during a virtual meeting on May 20. - Original Credit: Williams Architects (Williams Architects / HANDOUT)

Heading into an uncertain season that has already seen the closure of some public suburban pools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Morton Grove Park District officials are looking ahead to the construction of a brand new aquatic facility.

Two months after voters approved a referendum allowing for the construction of a new Harrer Park Pool, designs for an $11 million aquatic center were approved by the park board on May 20.

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Tom LaLonde, of Williams Architects, presented schematic designs of the new four-pool layout at Harrer Park, 6250 W. Dempster St., during a virtual meeting of the board.

The designs show a six-lane, 50-meter lap pool, a plunge pool with two water slides, a diving pool, and a wading pool with separate splash pad features. A new bathhouse with locker room facilities, concessions and an indoor party room is also proposed on the east side of the site. Additionally, residents will have the option of renting out private cabanas, which will be an added income source for the park district, LaLonde said.

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Construction on the pools is scheduled to begin this fall, LaLonde said.

“The goal is to get the facility open for next year’s swim season,” he said, acknowledging that the schedule is an “aggressive” one.

The existing Harrer Pool, built in 1962 and renovated in 1995, was closed last year, according to the park district. Park officials began planning for construction of new outdoor pools, and voters in March approved a property-tax increase to pay for the $11 million project.

The board’s approval of the new Harrer Pool designs on May 20 came just prior to the board voting to cancel all indoor programs and close Oriole Park Pool for the summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oasis Pool in Niles and Mystic Waters in Des Plaines will also be closed this summer, park officials said. The Park Ridge and Skokie Park Districts are considering a possible opening if the area advances to phase four of the governor’s Restore Illinois Plan before summer’s end.

An architectural rendering shows what a new bathhouse with concessions and a party room will look like at Harrer Park in Morton Grove. - Original Credit: Williams Architects (Williams Architects / HANDOUT)